


let me show you

by NightLocker



Category: RWBY
Genre: AU, Adams a shit, Angst, F/F, Fluff, Started darker, There will be death, delayed action, drug mention, drug usage, enjoy?, taking a soft turn, trigger warning, was oneshot now is multichapter fic, will be getting dark again, yangs an assassin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-18 15:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17583770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightLocker/pseuds/NightLocker
Summary: Blake has felt nothing for long enough, and when enough is enough, turns out someone else felt the same way. Assassin Yang AU.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Im not sure if I could make a second chapter to this if I tried, but I do have some of it written down just in case I change my mind. Let me know if you want to see more of this AU and which direction you'd like to see it go, darker or back to fluff.

It was easy to get lost in the drink, so horrifyingly easy. Blake had been running around with Adam for years, and they'd tried their share of the _recreational_ activities that had been made available. Handfuls of different types of hallucinogens, depressants, stimulants, the lot. Like many people who dabbled, she pulled back before it got too crazy for herself, never letting herself indulge in the same drug more than twice.

Except for a couple. The odd joint was the right cure for how she felt that day. A few glasses of a delicious mix or straight rum, that, that could do the trick as well. And when she'd considered it long enough, she'd done a couple psychedelics. Those you never doubled down on, it was definitely something she used only for soul searching.

But now, now Blake felt soulless. There wasn't even a point for an weed high right now, never mind an acid trip. She'd watched someone she believed to be unique beyond everyone else, and followed his lead, his passion and had arrived to its conclusion.

Adam was delusional. And Blake suffered the consequences of that delusion more personally than any other. The drug induced nights hadn't been the worst at first, when they were both rocking hard, messy hands everywhere. But the combinations of his delusions and his unstable mind with hallucinogens and stimulants specifically, it launched him into insanity.

The attacks on people for discriminatory behavior, or their choice to ignore the racism, fed his rage, his dream that morphed from what was at one point, a somewhat peaceful life, to genocide resulting with the Faunus inheriting Remnant.

Violence begets violence. Such true words for Blake at one point, then they faded as she followed Adam into this, leaving her family behind. Violence. The first time she saw Adam kill a man in combat.

Violence. The first time she had killed a man with a blind squeeze of a trigger. She hadn't even looked at where she was shooting, it had just been spray-and-pray.

Violence. The first time Adam ordered her to take a shot from two hundred yards on a single person, something that felt way to personal.

Violence. The first time Adam slit the throat of a surrendered woman, just for having been a human at the wrong place.

Violence. The first time Adam executed a teammate for not having followed the plan to the dot.

It kept going, it never stopped. It didn't take long for beatings and scratches to occur when they were together. The down talking numbed her out from everyone eventually and the world became cold. The cycle was making her sick. And as we all know, nothing cures a queasy stomach like a shot down the hatch.

So, Blake sat at this table, staring at her sidearm and her phone. They both sat still, unbothered as she would empty the shot glass time and time again.

The repetition of this had almost turned into a minimum bi-weekly tradition. Drink yourself into a hole, take your loaded thirteen-capacity handgun, lean your head against the barrel and just think about if it was time. Not how'd it feel, no would Adam be mad with me, just.... was it time?

….Not yet. The gun was lowered once again back to its resting place as the other hand tossed another shot back. But now, Blake did have a plan. It was simple, and was necessary. It was time.

Gripping her gun once again, the grip firm in her hand, she stood. And staggered. Not the ideal way to start this. Standing tall and taking a breath, she walked over to the door at the side of the room, the one leading into her and Adams bedroom. She took a breath, gripped the gun firmly and then rechecked her grip before grasping the door handle.

And three loud coughs came through the door, prompting Blake to open it up wide, gun leveled and peaking around the corner.

Over Adam's previously sleeping body was a tall woman. One with a clear prosthetic. In her left hand was a silenced pistol, wisps of gas still emerging from the barrel. And red eyes burned.

A fourth cough knocked Blake's on weapon aside, but she shrugged it off and stood tall now. “You saved me some trouble.” Blake leaned against the wall. “I was about to just walk in and make a loud racket over it all, blow the whole magazine into his chest before leaving and probably getting killed.”

Red eyes just stared at Blake, who took more in of the woman before her. Tall, curvy, definitely muscled, probably blonde if the eyebrows gave anything away, and covered head to toe in a purple so dark, it might as well have been black.

The assassin turned heel from the body, walking over to Blake, weapon in hand. Blake, still feeling as soulless as ever, didn't flinch. When they arrived just before her, the assassin with the eyes of fire offered her prosthetic hand. Blake, seeing no problem with it all, and the nature of the hand offer was calm, so she reached out and took the hand, pushing off the wall. Letting herself be guided by the assassin, she followed her until she was at the foot of the bed. The assassin gestured to the body, which Blake finally looked clearly at.

Adam had three neat holes, two above his heart, one in the head. And Blake could only offer a sad smile. “He once had more justice in him. But once he let the violence in... well, violence begets violence, right?” She sighed, offering out the weak question. “This was all so stupid. He turned into a fuckin' lunatic. _I_ turned into a fuckin' lunatic for a while. God knows I'm far from OK still.”

After a beat of silence, Blake felt something nudge her ribs. Looking down she saw the hilt of the silenced pistol being offered out. Looking up to meet the red eyes, only to find lilac staring back down at her, the assassin only offered a nudge again of the pistol before nodding at Adam. Blake only stared at the woman before her. Such a gesture, it was almost as if she could relate to the pressure put on by Adam, the tension, the sleepless nights, the nightmares. “What did he do to you?” She whispered.

Silence met her question, but the pistol fell away slowly. Before the hand turned away, Blake grasped the pistol, folding it over into her hand and lined it up.

Six more coughs spilled out from Blake's fingers as she watched each round rock the body. Each squeeze of her hand squeezed more of her anger out of her. Finally the gun clicked empty, and Blake's hand dropped, swiveling the pistol around in her palm to offer the grip back to its owner.

Lilac eyes met gold again as the assassin thoughtfully accepted her weapon back, not breaking eye contact. “....He cut off my arm and was tied into the deaths of a good friend and a underappreciated friend. Damn near killed my sister.” Lilac squinted. “What about you?”

“Grooming into a terrorist, manipulated me into a murderer, coerced me into drugs and sex with him, couple years of abuse, and now just a soulless existence.” Blake paused. “Although, being free of him is the best I've felt in years.”

Lilac nodded. “Adam Taurus was an extremist and a lunatic. You however, you broke through.” She walked to the open window before looking back. “I've got an offer.” She extended her hand. “Come with me. Do something good. As long as people are seeking to destroy the world, there are those who defend its spark of hope.” Her eyes locked on with an excitement. “Feel like you belong again, Blake Belladonna.”

Blake's ears perked at the usage of her last name. “It's been a long time since someone said my last name. Did my status in the White Fang really have enough pull for you to learn about me?”

“You tell me, long term lady friend of the lunatic High Leader, second in command, Captain Blake? Although you've been off the field for the past few months, I was wondering if you'd gotten ill or maybe even pregnant with the next High Leader.”

Blake responded violently, hissing, stepping back from the assassin. “That's not fucking cool.” She paced a little. “I couldn't stomach a child with that man. Not after all the tragedy that he's caused.”

“Lets fix some of that tragedy then. Join us, we'll show you how to love the world again.”

Blake looked up, once again locking onto the offered hand. “...It's been so long since I loved the world.”

The assassin approached her once again, this time unraveling her headpiece. Blake watched as long blonde hair, thick and rich, fell down and over the strong shoulders of this woman. Lilac eyes opened once more as she brushed the hair away before offering her hand once more. A gentle smile spread across her face. “Then let me show you.”

 


	2. Stalemate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake, now housed with this mystery woman, is faced with new possibilities, ones she never imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here ya go, enjoy some tension.

The reality of the whole situation wasn't lost on Blake. She'd gone from being a high ranking officer of an international terrorist organization, to now working dismantle that very organization and other forces of hate and fear in the world. While it wasn't likely to be the end of some of her more questionable actions, at the least they would be aimed at very questionable people.   
The assassin had brought her to a safe house, fed her and settled her in as she went back to do her report.  
“Tell me your name.”  
The smile returned. “Not now.”  
It'd been a few days since Blake had arrived, the woman had left her yesterday to discuss intel with her seniors. It was likely that Blake was going to be brought up in that conversation, but how do you get away with saying 'hey, I invited my targets girl back to join us after she walked in on me killing him, to kill him herself.' Definitely is one of the more eye catching ways to make an entrance. But now, Blake was back to being alone.   
And the drink was her only company. Granted, this time she wasn't shooting back shot after shot, but she sat with her tumbler filled over half way. With her head tilted back, she closed her eyes, only to see bullets ripping Adam apart. Her bullets, and while it was a necessary thing, she still had a... resentment for killing. So she opened her eyes again and sipped generously at her drink. It'd been a weird few days after all.  
But now, she had time to reflect. This...mysterious woman, blonde and dangerous, who hid in deep and dark purple, probably had saved her life. Blake was no fool, she knew she'd likely have died if she'd killed Adam with a loud pistol. The whole building was crawling with Fang who would've emptied countless rounds into her. Now her biggest fear and nightmare was dead, but he still would visit her thoughts. And it was sickening. Really, that's been her biggest emotion, an ill rooted feeling in her gut whenever he crossed her mind. Other than that, Blake still felt pretty devoid of emotion. And this woman, she wanted to teach her to love the world again.   
Huh. Of all people to get another chance, Blake never thought it would've been her.   
“I see you've been enjoying the house rum.”  
Blake just tilted her head over the back of the couch before looking back at the television in front of her and taking another drink. “I was feeling a little dry.”  
“A little dry, or too sober?”  
She shrugged. “A little of both probably. Things have been mixing together for a while now.”  
“I see.” The woman walked around to the chair next to the couch and sat down with her own half filled tumbler. “It was that bad was it?”  
Blake looked over the edge of her glass before lowering it. “What do you mean? What living with him?” She waved a hand and scoffed, voicing turning slightly sour. “Pffff. No, it was easy and life was peachy. I mean, sure, the odd day of watching people die turned into a very regular occurrence and the home life was totally super cozy, we spent endless nights with fine foods and bottled wine. For about two months. Then the fine foods turned into his fine foods and shopping for myself, with the bottles of wine turning into many beers for him and lots of rum for me, with the odd scar here and there.” Blake leaned over in her chair, raising her the bottom of her tank top. She grazed and 'X' shaped scar. “See this? One night we fought, one of many times until I was too tired to deal with it. Anyway, he smashed his bottle and stabbed me. But the bottle was so jagged that when he was pulling it out, he twisted it, creating this 'X' on the exit.” Another generous sip of rum. “Still not the worst of it.”  
Lilac eyes stared at her thoughtfully, and honestly, they looked sad. So sad. “That's why I did what I did.”  
“That's why you saved me or that's why you killed him?”   
“Both.”  
“Ah, great, I love being a damsel in distress.”  
“Well, the damsel walked in carrying a Glock 23, ready to put him down herself.” She grinned playfully. “You know about all the shit that he did, trafficking, dealing, buying, murder, theft, destruction, assault, assaulting officers, blah, blah, blah.”  
“Yup. Us White Fang members know how to have a good time, don't we?” Blake sighed, leaning back once more and lowering her glass to rest beside her leg. “What did your seniors have to say about me?”  
“Well, explaining that you came in to kill him yourself definitely warmed them up to it.” The blonde sighed. “And then I asked to resign.”  
Blake raised her eyebrows and straightened her head. “What?”  
“I asked to resign. I finally got my target, the one I'd been chasing for a few years now, and I was tired of all the killing leading up to it. So I've officially quit. Interesting isn't it?”  
“I'll say. Did they tell you to kill me then, or did they send someone else out to finish the job?”  
“Nah. Amazingly, they said 'hey, she wanted to kill him too. Lets give her a second chance.'”  
“Bullshit.”  
“Nope. Believe it or not, Belladonna, not only are you free once more, your files have been scrubbed clean by yours truly.”  
This was becoming too much. This was more than just a second chance, this was an full escape from her past life, to be whatever she wanted to be. “Wow.” A clean record was a gift, one that was almost impossible to believe. “You're serious? We're gonna sweep under the rug the fact that I myself and involved with nearly all of those crimes?”  
“Apparently, are you going to complain about it? I can call them up if you want.”  
“No, that's fine. I'm just-...just overwhelmed a little.” I could go home.  
“Yea-up!” The woman knocked back the rest of her drink before standing up, slamming down the glass and offering her hand to Blake. “Whaddya say?”  
“Say to what? And what happened to the whole do something good again thing?”  
“What do you say to learning to love the world again, its been a while for me too, and I could use some company to enjoy it once more.” The blonde leaned back. “This job has been exhausting, but something tells me its time to leave.” She shrugged. “As for the making things good again, we don't need some honcho to tell us where to go. I got a good idea for a good start though. Ever met a Schnee?  
Blake scoffed. “Funny. Good joke, what about the Schnee's, we're gonna take them down?”  
“Well, we could topple the corrupt patriarchy that's running it. Jacques has been a tyrant as we both know, you more than I.”  
Blake fell silent at that. What would she do? Go with her for real this time, explore the world and try to learn to love it again, while toppling her biggest enemy? Or she could just finish this bottle call it a day and repeat the cycle, staring at walls, thinking of Adam and how her bullets ripped him to shreds. Happy life, dull life. Dull but organized. Until she ran out of money that is. Speaking of which... “How am I supposed to pay for much, I haven't even pulled cash from my accounts, and when I do, you can bet your ass that the Fang will be arriving quick.”  
The stranger grinned down at her. “You think I did this job for cheap? Adam has had a bounty on his head since before he cut off my arm. We could get by for a few years pretty easily if we play it cheap.”  
“I'm an alcoholic, does anything I do sound cheap?”  
A finger raised and wagged at her. “Now, I've dealt with my fair share of alcoholics, I know a trick or two to help you break the cycle. First step...” she walked over to the bottle before gripping it by the neck, throwing it to the floor where it shattered. “Is to ween off it. We'll have a drink here and there, but no more lounging and guzzling it back.”  
Adjusting to the bottle being broken, Blake took another sip. “Sounds like a really, really, horrible time.”  
“For little while, just gotta get it out of your system for the most part.”  
Blake stared at her. She was no longer in her form fitting stealth suit, but now wore purple leggings which caused the yellow T-shirt underneath her brown jacket to really pop. Her combat boots remained though, with some padded gloves sticking out of her jacket pocket. But the smile was constant, inviting and genuine. Her eyes showed humor and thoughtfulness, which was unusual considering that she was, until a few hours ago, an assassin. “Your eyes don't match.”  
Her lips shifted as she scoffed, shifting her weight onto her other leg, putting a hand on her hip. “What do you mean by that?”  
Blake gestured with her hand that held the glass, point right at her face. “Your eyes.” She took a sip before kicking her feet up onto the table. “You can't be an assassin, your eyes don't match.”  
And the smile faltered. “I was an assassin. Just quit today remember?”  
“You lied.”   
“I didn't lie, I did what I came to do-”  
“You lied, you may have arrived with the intent to kill Adam, but you were never a career assassin. That's what I was. Your eyes don't have to match mine, but they certainly don't match every other career assassin I've met.”  
Now her gaze faltered.  
“And if that's true, then the more heartbreaking thing is this; I'm not wiped clean from the system.” Blake tossed the remainder back, swiftly drawing out her secondary that she'd kept hidden the whole time. Pointing it at the stranger, she lowered her glass, hands steady. “Which means you're keeping something from me.” She sang the last part so softly, and gently, it was almost able to hide the threat present.   
The woman just stared at her, eyes transforming into a flaming ire, red wisps invading lilac. “Not a liar, Blake.”  
“Oh, thanks for saying my name, yet again, nameless one.” Blake kicked her feet off the table, standing tall with more stability than anybody should have after the amount she'd drank that day. “It's truly amazing I've stayed here for three days with nothing to fucking do, and just put some faith in you.”  
“What do you think I was doing for three days, Blake.” Red was forming, almost fully washing out the lilac. “Wiping your name, Blake Bella-fucking-donna, from numerous databases is NOT EASY. You're not a clean person record wise, even if your handiwork is. The worst one was the Schnee Defense Systems, which, yeah, I wiped you from there as well. Every trace, every mention in every linked file, replacing names, all that shit. Security footage from years ago, the half-prints from when you were clumsy, it took a lot of hours to get it done.”  
Now Blake hesitated, re-evaluating the situation.  
“Don't let me forget the debrief.” She stepped forward slowly, hands wide to the side, palms open. “When was the last time you debriefed? I'm not sure about you, but when describing the complexities of a bounty hunt for official records, which yes, your identity is blacked out from, it tends to take longer than the actual hunt itself. Then there's the questions on top of that, to double down on it and smooth out the details.” Red eyes were still bold and present, but were taming.  
Blake backed up slowly. “I'd like to think for a bit longer, if you wouldn't mind.” She gestured back to the chair that the mystery woman had just stood from. Once she was seated, Blake sat herself down on the far side of the couch, not letting her eyes leave her, but crossing her legs with the gun still leveled at her.  
Minutes passed as the woman sat still, on the chair, hands flat on her knees. Blake sat and just assessed and debated. Three days was a long time, but she made some valid points. Blake had a helluva record. But she needed to see that it was gone. “Well, we've only got one test, friend.”  
Eyes now an odd mix between red and lilac, the wisps of red igniting the the exterior ring of the iris. “And what would that be?”   
“Let's go to the bank. Facial recognition at the bank will be enough to call the police about me.”  
She only nodded. “Fair enough.” She shrugged. “How's now sound?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stuffs gotta work itself out, theres still some suspicion, but Im excited for chapter 3 and to hear your thoughts on it. My planning IRL that I was telling you all about is probably being pushed into chapter 5, so 3 and 4 should be too difficult to get out, but chapter 5 will definitely have a pause.  
> UPDATE, i also have no idea how many fucking chapters this will be, but i doubt more than 10.   
> Short chapters only 2kish, I want to get it out more than i want to get big chapters. Plus your guys feedback is actually essential for a writer like me, I can't work with silence lol.  
> Let me know what you think, and feel free to pitch some ideas about some experiences you want to see happen in this story.


	3. The Warmest Blanket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake has a test to find out about her limits, but then at the end, its time to wind down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie, this story has definitely taken a softer turn than I anticipated, but if you tough it out, I promise for those who want dark, theres conflict ahead, and there's most definitely angst.

Walking into the bank, the stranger and Blake both calmly sat themselves down at the help desk, waiting for the lady on the phone to wrap it up. Blake had opted to leave the gun holstered, and the woman, who had to have a piece on her, left it in her holster as well. Blake didn't even have to make some absurd threat, the blonde had just said ; “Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything sketchy, since you aren't in the system.”

“Sorry about that, thank you for your patience.” The woman hung up the phone as she turned to face them, her sleek, black hair up in a high pony tail. “How can I help?”

“Hey, I'm here to close down my account.” Blake slid her card forward. “Sorry, but it's just that we've decided to just pool it all together in her account.” Blake rested her hand on the forearm of the woman she still didn't even know the name of.

“Oh, uhm, alright, miss....” Looking at Blakes card, “Belladonna. I'm sorry that you're leaving us. Let me just call up one of the authorized people who can close it out.” She picked up her phone, dialing a brief number before filling in the person.

Meanwhile the blonde leaned over, wrapping an arm around Blake, whispering into her ear. “So,” her voice laden with mischief. “Going for a joint account, huh? I suppose its a good thing I'm with a different bank then, honey.” Blake could hear the smile forming, but refusing to break cover, she could only respond in kind.

“Surprise babe. Figured I'd surprise you with it before we move in.” Blake turned, staring into lilac eyes with her own faked passion.

The stranger leaned further in, her breath tickling her ear, her words not just being hear, but travelling into her mind and soul. “Colour me surprised.” The voice was husky now, purring even. “I certainly can't wait for us to be in our own place.”

Now she was challenging Blake, trying to reverse the power that Blake had claimed earlier. Blake swatted her forearm. “Easy, babe.” The blonde's head jolted back in surprise, at the swat and the chastising. “Don't make me change my mind.” And Blake did have a warning under her tone that time, one that the blonde very clearly heard, and her eyes shifted during that moment.

“Fine.” The voice now firm.

“Excuse me? The banker will help you now, just step over this way.” The woman stood and gestured to the teller, who waved a machine.

“Hey, we just need you to confirm your pin and a few things before you continue to the paperwork.”

Blake nodded, standing. “Absolutely.” Her partner followed her to the till and waited as Blake did what was necessary. Then they were guided to a smaller, but oddly spacious office, where Blake was asked a few more questions about why she was closing her account before signing some papers, understanding that there would also be a small fee for closing the account.

“Perfect, that's all in order, now one last question.” The man at the desk faced them. “Your account has a fair amount in it, are you OK with a cheque to your partners name here, or?”

Blake had painted herself into a corner she should have anticipated, but totally didn't consider. She'd either have to walk out with thousands in cash, which would raise so many eyes, or she'd have to write a check to this...stranger.

“Cheque please,” the person sitting next to her said. “Going all in on one account. Right honey?” Blonde hair swished as she turned to face her, lilac eyes staring at her, yet this time wasn't in a challenging way. She knew that Blake could still play this in a very, very aggressive manner, but she was trying to help.

“Yes please, just onto a cheque.”

“Very good, once the cheque is deposited, your account will close.” He scribbled out a specialty cheque to be accept at any bank before sliding the authorizing signature over to Blake. “We're sorry to hear that you won't be staying with us any longer and we hope that maybe one day you both,” he gestured between the two of them with his pen, “that you'd consider us one day together.”

“Mmm. We'll have to see about that, if my bank starts swinging it around we'll bounce right back here I'd imagine.” The stranger said, standing as Blake finished the cheque.

“Sounds like a deal.” The man stood grinning as Blake also stood. “It was a pleasure working with you both.” He extended his hand and shook both of theirs with smiles and a wave as they left his office, walking out of the building.

Once in the safety of the car, the stranger dropped the act. “How cute, a young couple came in to begin a joint account at a fellow bank. You're sooo lucky I'm actually at a different bank.”

“We'll tackle the Schnee's.” Blake interrupted. She'd thought about it, and she was tired, oh so tired of Jacques Schnee. That company would be crucial in the equal rights and fair treatment movements of the Faunus.

“Oh?” The stranger announced. “And do you have a plan?”

“What did you mean by meeting a Schnee?”

The question was met with silence as the stranger probably cussed herself out for speaking too quickly earlier. “.....While Adam didn't kill kill my sister, he injured her pretty good. Amazing that he didn't notice that he hadn't killed her with his record. Her wife is Weiss Schnee. We all trained on the same team at Beacon.”

“What happened to the fourth?”

“Luke died in our third year. King Taijitu got the drop on him.” She scoffed scoffed. “Before that were truly the glory days of team RWYL.”

“That's a stretch with Weiss to make the colour Royal.”

“It's always a challenge to make a good colour name with all these whack ass kids names.”

Blake started driving them to the safe house once more before she spoke up. “Do you have anything you want to pack?”

The stranger looked over. “Why, where we going?”

“It's been a long time since I've gone home.” Blake sighed. “It'd be nice to see it once before I die dismantling the Schnee empire.”

“Ignore the safe house. Go where I say, I got to get my passport and travel bag then.” Her feet came off the dash. “Turn left here.”

 

Blake had followed her directions, which was unusual when thinking about it. They were falling unusually into sync. Like, Blake was taking her directions without question. They did this whole flirting charade in the bank? And it was so smooth and natural, she was sure she'd have fooled herself.

But now they found themselves at the airport, after having deposited the cheque and the stranger having said “I told you that you were clean in the system.”

Now Blake stood there, her ticket in hand to Menagerie, with a new objective in mind. _I need to find out her name. This no-name bullshit is getting really old._ And so, throughout the process of the security scanning, she kept an eye out for her partners passport to flip open. And throughout the boarding process. But each time, she kept the passport either closed or out of view. When Blake saw her pocket it in her front pocket, she scoffed.

When they sat down on the airship, Blake flipped open the book. “So, Yang, what does your name mean?”

Yang snapped her head up, snatching the book back, eyes tinting. “Give me that.” She pointed a finger and opened her mouth to speak before Blake returned the stare and beating her to the speech.

“Nuh-uh, listen here. We're apparently doing this together, yet you're nameless? Not happening, I don't work that way, and I doubt you do either.”

Yang, eyes warming up, sat back, crossing her legs and arms. “Bitch.”

“Says the _assassin._ ” Was the whispered retort.

“Rich coming from the _terrorist.”_ Was Yang's return.

Both sat in silence for the most of the trip, until Yang did nudge Blake. “I'm sorry I kept it for as long as I did. Should have just said it sooner.”

“....Thank you.”

“Welcome. Now, who do you have in Menagerie?”

“The same as most faunus. I have family.” Blake sighed. “Like I said, if we're gonna do it, I'd like to see them again before it all happens.” Her heart ached, signifying that her life was returning a little. She hated it. The ocean below was a sight.

“Look, at least I'm helping keep my word about helping you love it all again right?”

With that, Blake waved down the flight attendant and ordered a drink.

 

Menagerie was hot, just like she remembered.

She wasn't sure if she wanted to remember.

“Wow.” Yang's voice sounded, unreal smooth from beside her. “Its so nice.” She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air outside the airport. “I know we did some shitting things putting you guys on this awful island, but the Faunus have done incredible making it a habitable and pretty touristy location.”

“Indeed.” Blake's words were a little slurred. She'd taken a few drinks on the airship, each time Yang rolled her eyes as she handed her card over.

“What's next?” Yang asked.

Blake held up a fistful of lien. “We do some tracking.”

“What?”

For the next half hour, with their duffel bags hanging over their shoulder, Blake led them through bars and alleys, along the beach, asking specific people. Finally, Blake ended up outside a shop.

“Really, you did all this for pot? You're still fuckin' drunk for crying out loud.”

“Are you turning down some? I didn't know this was legal now, and I certainly need to unwind a little more before I see my parents.” Blake offered one of the two blunts that she held in her hand. “If you don't want it, I will smoke both.”

Yang stared at her before exhaling. “Well, I suppose its a good thing I'm not with the company anymore, I wouldn't be able to pass my next drug test.”

“There's the bright side.” Blake mumbled as she lit her blunt. “I haven't had a smoke in a while, so bear with me.”

“I bet its been even longer for me.” Yang mumbled with her own blunt hanging from her lips, accepting the offered lighter from Blake.

After a few puffs from each of them, Yang looked over, noticing the rings Blake would blow, how her mouth opened so specifically, and more shockingly how her throat bobbed as she carved the rings from within. “Trying some fancy things over there, huh?” The undeniable buzz was creeping in, tickling at her mind the slightest bit. A pleasing pressure was spreading over her head, ever so gently, like fingers caressing her actual brain.

Blake looked over, her eyes beginning to become hooded and the wall they were leaning against wasn't something she wanted to be against any longer. “Lets go to the beach.”

“Alright.” And so they walked, blunts in hand, climbing the ladder, basking in the sun, which felt like the best fucking blanket Yang had ever been in.

Minutes later, both blunts ashed and trashed, they sat on a bench before the beach, heads tilted and sun glasses on. The sun soaked into their skin, the humidity in the air, they could feel it being drunk into their skin. “This is a good way to learn to love the world again Blake. Look at the beach. The sand, how warm it is. The turquoise of the sea. The beauty of the heritage of the Faunus here.” She waved a hand. There's almost no better way to appreciate this.”

Blake nodded. “You're right.”

“About which part?”

Blake reached over, grasping her partners hand, not because they were friends, they weren't really. But it just felt natural. To be high, here, living in the moment, basking in the comfort of the sun and the invisible caresses that roamed her body with the high. Her legs, strong as ever, felt fuzzy or furry, she couldn't decide. And it entertained her beyond belief.

“Learning to love the world again.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My IRL plans for chapter 4 and 5 have changed, what I had in plan to prep me for it fell through so I'm having to take a slightly different route, however its something that wasn't essential to the story, just a bonus.  
> Let me know all of your thoughts.  
> All of them!


End file.
